ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York State Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to Governor Hochul and the New York State Labor Commissioner urging them to reject a recommendation made by the Farm Laborer’s Wage Board, that would lower the overtime threshold for farmworkers.
One Farmer told New York State Capitol Correspondent, Jamie DeLine, he worried that if the overtime threshold for farmworkers gets dropped from 60 hours a week to 40 hours, big changes would have to be made on his dairy farm.
“Some of those people we would have to end up having let go, and we’d end up probably switching to some automation,” explained farmer, Quade Kirk.
In a letter written to Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Labor Commissioner, many Assembly Republicans are urging them to keep the overtime threshold for farmworkers at 60 hours. “By making this overtime change, it was projected that it would result in a 42 % increase in labor costs to the farms,” stated Republican Assemblywoman, Mary Beth Walsh.
For those in agriculture, often weather plays a role in hours worked. “If you have two days of rain, and nobody can work for those two days, you may have to put a 12 to 16 hour day in on day three to be able to be able to make up for what you lost,” explained Assemblyman Chris Tauge. “It’s time-sensitive. Some crop you have to pull out and get off the ground right away, or it’s no good.”
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